Family, Who'd have 'em?
by TeamNewTricks
Summary: When Sandra's mother has a fall, it leads her to contemplate her feelings.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters etc.**

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It had been an awfully long day in the office for the UCOS team; they had just finished their latest case, a serial murder, and after over a week of enquires they had finally caught their man.

"Pub anyone?" Gerry stood up from his desk and rubbed his hands together, exited at the prospect of nice pint after their all their hard work.

"You read my mind Gerry" Jack began tidying away all the paperwork on his desk. "Sandra, pub?" he peered around into her office.

"I think I could just about manage that", Sandra smiled at the thought of a glass of wine. "Give me a minute I'll just finish up here."

Jack, Gerry and Brian were now congregating around the door, desperate to leave. They knew they had spent far too long in this office over the past week. They couldn't wait to just go and have a drink.

"Come on Sandra" Gerry called impatiently from by the door, "trust you to slow us down."

"Well no one asked you to wait for me. Go ahead, I'll catch you up." She gestured with her hand for them to leave.

"Alright then, we'll get you a large white wine" Gerry called back as they escaped through the door.

"Cheers boys".

Although Sandra didn't say it enough, she really appreciated her boys. They were like the family she never really had. Yes she still had her mother around but she didn't see her much anymore, they always infuriated each other so they just gave up trying.

Sandra was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the door open.

"Gov, you still 'ere?" Gerry poked his head around her door.

"Gerry! You scared the life out of me."

"Oh, sorry Gov."

"What you doing back here anyway, I thought you'd be half way through your pint by now?"

"I forgot my phone" Gerry walked out of her office and picked up his mobile off of his desk and waved it at Sandra. "Why are you still working? Come to the pub."

"Yeah I'm almost finished." Sandra was logging off her computer and clearing all the paperwork from the day away.

"You're such a workaholic."

"Yeah yeah. I'd have thought some of it would have rubbed off on you in the past eight years." Sandra retorted sarcastically.

"Ha bleeding ha" Gerry laughed as he watched Sandra get up from her swivel chair. Even with her sometimes cruel comments she could always make him smile.

It was just then that Sandra's phone began to ring.

"Pullman." She answered. "What? Ok, ok, I'll be right there."

"What's wrong?" Gerry was concerned by Sandra's phone call.

"It's my mum. She's had a fall; I've got to go over to the home."

"I'll drive you if you want." Sandra just stared at Gerry. Why was he suddenly being so nice? "What you looking at me like that for? I know you've had a hard week, I thought you'd like some company."

"You don't have to do that."

"Well if you don't want me to drive you, then at least let me go with you."

"Yeah, alright then. You better tell the others to cancel your pint."

Gerry and Sandra walked out to her car. She was still curious as to why he had asked to go with her but decided it was best just not to think about it. After all, she was too anxious about seeing her mother.

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_**Hope you enjoyed it!**_

_**I must thank Geezworld234 and BethyBoo97 for persuading me to write a fic! It has been great fun!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Same as before**

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Gerry and Sandra pulled up outside the care home. They were surprised that her mother had not been moved to the hospital following her fall.

"You can stay here if you want?" Sandra asked Gerry. She almost hoped he wouldn't come in; her mum was unbearable enough when it was just the two of them, and she'd hate Gerry to have to go through that as well.

"Look Sandra, I came all this way, I'm not gonna just sit here."

They both made their way into the home. It had been a little while since Gerry had last been there. It had been when Jack went undercover several years back that he had last been inside the home.

"Hello I've come to see my mother, Grace Pullman, I had a phone call" Sandra rambled to the receptionist. Despite the hatred she often held for her mother, she was really worried for her this time.

"Ah yes, would you like to follow me please?"

Sandra and Gerry followed the receptionist down a long corridor towards where her mother was resting. Gerry had seen how concerned Sandra was, so he placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her as they walked. He had become quite good at reading Sandra's emotions over the past eight years.

"Through here, Miss Pullman" the receptionist opened the door to Grace.

"Oh mum" Sandra rushed over to the bed where her mother was lying, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes, Sandra. Don't fuss. You didn't have to come you know, I'm sure you have work to do."

Even in these circumstances her mother's words were painful to Sandra.

Gerry and Sandra were almost ready to leave the home; they had only been there for about forty minutes but they'd had enough of Grace's hostile behaviour. Even when she was ill she couldn't even pretend to be nice to her daughter.

"I'll just wait outside Sandra" Gerry pointed towards the door "Give you two a minute".

"Why did you bring him with you?" Sandra had hoped her mother wouldn't ask that question, because she didn't really know the answer.

"Well, he just happened to be in the office when I got the call, and he offered to come with me."

"Since when did Sandra Pullman accept help?"

Sandra just rolled her eyes at her mother before leaned down to give her a kiss.

"Bye mum, let me know if you need anything."

"Bye Sandra." Grace replied glumly from her bed. She was feeling a lot better now and could probably have gotten up, but she thought it would be a bonus to make Sandra feel guilty.

"All ok Gov?" Gerry stopped pacing the corridor and walked over to Sandra. He placed his hand again on Sandra's shoulder, letting her know he was there if she wanted to talk. As she noticed his hand on her she suddenly felt calmer. This feeling in itself was enough to startle her.

"Yeah fine" she responded quickly, clearly not wanting to say anything more about her mother. "Come one, let's get out of here."

The drive back to the office was almost silent; they were both too deep in thought to converse with each other. Gerry thought it was so sad that she wasn't close to her mother, and it wasn't like she hadn't tried. Family was everything to Gerry, his four daughters, his grandson, and even his 3 ex-wives were still part of his family. Sandra didn't have anyone other than her mother, well apart from her half-brother Tom, but that hadn't really gotten off to a good start. Gerry realised that it was her three 'dinosaurs' that were her real family. He smiled slightly at the thought that he was part of Sandra's family in a strange sort of way, but hoped that she didn't notice him smiling to himself.

But Sandra was too busy trying to answer her mother's earlier question. When did she begin accepting help? She had always been so independent; she would never have let anyone go with her on such a personal visit like that. And especially Gerry Standing of all people. Since when did she actually find comfort in having Gerry around? Sandra tried to shake these thoughts out of her head as she pulled up outside the office.

"Cheers Gerry for coming with me."

"Ah, no problem Gov, anytime. Night." He called back as he got out of her car.

"Night Gerry."

Sandra drove home trying not to think about that evening's events. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop wondering what it was that she had felt when she was with him.

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**Hope you're still enjoying it! More soon.**

**Team New Tricks**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Same as before**

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The next day they had spent sorting through paperwork from the old case, as well as reviewing files for potential new ones.

"I don't know about you lot but I'm exhausted" Brian suddenly slammed the file he had been reading down. They were annoyed that Strickland had stopped them 'cherry-picking' cases as he had put it. They had no real enthusiasm for just reading through old case files. "Pub anyone?"

"Yeah go on then." Jack stood up from his desk and got his coat, "I'll give you a lift home afterwards."

"Cheers Jack. You two coming?" Brian looked around at Sandra and Gerry who were still busy working.

"Not for me, I'm going to get off early." Sandra started to finish off what she was doing before collecting her handbag and jacket from the stand. "Night boys," she called back as she left.

"That's odd" Gerry thought to himself, she never turns down a drink at the end of a long day.

"I'm gonna give it a miss lads." With this came inquisitive stares from both Jack and Brian. "What? I have other plans, ok?"

"Suit yourself, see you tomorrow." Jack called back as he and Brian left the office.

Gerry decided he would pay Sandra a visit to make sure she was ok. She'd been in a strange mood all day and he couldn't work out what was wrong with her.

After a 10 minute drive Gerry pulled up outside Sandra's house. He didn't think she would actually appreciate this unexpected arrival but she was going to get it anyhow. She'd probably only be sat there working her way through a bottle of wine with a cheesy chick flick.

Sandra couldn't work out who would be ringing her doorbell, but she reluctantly got up and peered out the window. "What's he doing here?" she whispered to herself.

"Gerry." She answered the door with a somewhat confused look on her face. "I thought you'd be at the pub with Jack and Brian."

"Nah, I didn't fancy it." Sandra stepped aside gesturing for him to come in.

"You…didn't fancy it! Want me to call you a doctor?" She laughed cheekily at him as she walked into her living room, "Wine?"

"Ah go on then," Gerry looked around Sandra's living room. He had been spot on; there were three quarters of a bottle of wine on the table, and a chick flick that had been paused on the television. He really did know her too well.

"So what did you want then?" She knew he wouldn't have missed a drinking session at the pub for no good reason.

"Well" Gerry took a large sip of his wine, "I was worried about you actually."

"Worried." Sandra exclaimed trying not to laugh, "About me!"

"What's so funny? You've been in a strange mood all day."

Sandra didn't really know why she had been like that today. She thought it was to do with her mother, but deep down she knew she was still thinking about how she had felt when Gerry had touched her shoulder. Just that simple action had caused her to feel all these things, but she couldn't really make out what they were.

"I've just been worried about mum that's all." She decided that was going to be the best answer, after all she could hardly talk to Gerry of all people about the real reason.

"You do know she'll be fine. If you're anything to go by she's a fighter." Gerry looked sympathetically at Sandra.

She couldn't understand why he was being so nice towards her. He would have normally made some quip about the bottle of wine she getting through, or the film he would most definitely have noticed.

"Yeah you're right. You hungry, I was just going to make something to eat?"

Now it was Gerry's turn to look like he was going to laugh, "You! Make something?" His sarcasm earned him a cushion thrown at his face.

"It was only going to be a frozen lasagne, nothing like your gourmet cuisine." Sandra stood up to make her way towards the kitchen. "Or anything French" she remarked quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear her. But the cushion that hit her bottom let her know he did. He was still sensitive about the whole being French thing.

A few hours later Sandra and Gerry were back on the sofa watching the rest of the film. They'd had a great evening together just laughing and joking around. To anyone from the outside world they looked like any ordinary couple.

It got to 10.30 when Gerry decided that he better go home.

"Thanks for coming round to check on me Gerry, I did appreciate it." Sandra gave him such a warm, genuine smile he thought he might melt.

"No problem Gov. Sleep well."

"Yeah, you too. Night"

As Sandra shut the door she turned around and leaned back against it. She'd had a brilliant evening, but that had now confused her even more.

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_**Hope this is** **still ok!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: As before

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"Morning Gerry, you look knackered."

"I feel it Jack", Gerry slouched on the seats in front of the board.

"Bad night?"

"Yeah, I don't even know why, just couldn't sleep. Where's Sandra?"

Sandra appeared from office with Strickland, talking away as usual. She looked weary; Gerry wondered if she had not slept so well either. Maybe they should have been more wary of Sandra's frozen lasagne.

"What did he want?" Gerry scowled as Strickland left the office.

"To give us a new case, what else?" Sandra raised her eyebrows. Reading through old files yesterday had been a waist of time then they all thought. None of them cared much for their boss, he was alright but after seven years they had never quite taken to him.

Brian and Jack had gone out to interview a new witness for the case, so it was just Sandra and Gerry left in the office.

"You look shattered Gov?"

"Yeah didn't sleep well, I don't know why." That was a lie; she knew perfectly well why she hadn't slept. She hadn't been able to switch her brain off from going over and over all of her feelings.

They were both getting into Gerry's car when Sandra's phone went off.

"Pullman. What, now? Again? Fine."

She threw her mobile back into her handbag. "You better let me out, I've got to go see mum again. She's not getting any better and she's asked for me apparently," Sandra sighed at the thought of going back there again. She opened the car door to get out when she felt a firm grasp around her wrist. She stared back at Gerry.

"Don't get out. Come on, I'll drive you."

"Don't be silly."

"Look Gov we're not having this argument again. Put your seatbelt on and shut up."

Sandra still looked amazed at how forceful he had been. A few years back he would have got a slap for that, but somehow Sandra didn't care right now.

From the time it had taken to get to the home from the office Grace had perked up again and no longer wanted to see Sandra. Gerry was secretly relieved. It wasn't because he didn't want to see Grace, it was just that he knew how distressed Sandra got after visiting her last time, and he didn't want a repeat of that.

They both decided to go for lunch as they were out, their witness could wait a little longer they thought.

They had been out for about 2 hours, way past lunch time, even by their standards.

"Wow, time really does fly when you're having fun" Gerry whispered to himself.

Gerry decided that Sandra should go home and sleep rather than going back to work, she was obviously still tired.

"I can do the interview myself, don't you worry." Sandra wasn't convinced about this. But then again, she was too tired to really complain.

Gerry drove Sandra home and walked her to her front door.

"I know your car is still at the office, so if you want a lift back there later or something then just ring me."

"Cheers Gerry. You coming in?" Gerry walked through her front door and watched Sandra. She looked exhausted.

"You seriously need to get some sleep, I'll tell the others that you weren't feeling well."

"Thank you."

"What for?" The sincerity in her voice confused him.

"For coming with me to see mum, today and the other day, oh and for lunch of course."

"Don't be silly Sandra, it was my pleasure."

Gerry didn't know whether it was just because she was tired or whether she was actually getting emotional. It was so unlike Sandra to be like this, well to let anyone see her like this anyway.

He leant forward to brush the hair on her face to one side. As he went to remove his hand, she caught his wrist. He stroked her soft cheeks with his fingers as she stared hard into his eyes. For a moment he thought she was going to slap him, but instead she moved forward. Her lips softly brushed his as she moved her other hand to the back of his neck where she could feel his hair brushing through her fingers.

Gerry thought he was imagining this; he hadn't had the best nights sleep himself after all. But no, he certainly wasn't dreaming. As Sandra gently pulled away from their kiss, Gerry slid his hand around her waist. He knew that she had felt the same spark as he had during that kiss. Neither of them were surprised by what they had felt, after all it wasn't like they had just met, they had been flirting with each other for the best part of eight years. And the last few days had made each other realise how close they actually were. Gerry pulled Sandra closer toward his chest where he could feel the warmth of her breath up against him. This time their kiss was much more passionate.

They both decided that they were so late back from lunch now that whatever time they arrived at the office they'd have some explaining to do. A couple more hours couldn't hurt. Anyhow, they were a bit busy right now…

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_**One more chapter left...**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: As before**

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"And what time do you call this then?" Jack questioned rhetorically when Sandra and Gerry both walked through the office door. It had been over five hours since the two of them had set off to interview their witness, a task which was never actually fulfilled.

"Well we got a bit distracted" Gerry replied whilst walking over to his desk, "At Sandra's mother's home" he added a little too quickly. He didn't think that either Jack or Brian would be suspicious but he wanted to make his excuses clear.

"I had a call saying she was unwell again" Sandra continued from her office, she'd had to go straight to her desk with fear of blushing from the questions; she was already a little flushed as it was.

"Is she alright now?" Jack had always been fond of Grace, in a way she felt sorry for her after everything that had happened with Gordon, and now having to live in a care home.

"She'll live" Sandra retorted sharply. "Anyway, how did you get on with your witness? Any help?"

"Nah, can't remember a bleeding thing. Hopeless." Jack had clearly had a hard day, after all he had spent about 6 hours straight with Brian. That was enough to send anyone crazy.

"Don't be so defeatist Jack" Brian suddenly surfaced from his laptop. "When have we ever given up?"

"Hmm, well anyway I'm off for a drink. You lot coming?" Jack scanned the room as he put on his coat; despite being July it was still very cold outside.

"Don't mind if I do Jack." Brian clearly wasn't finished with his rant about how they could solve this case. Jack did his best to look enthused.

"Great. Sandra, Gerry, you coming?" His eyes were pleading with them, anything not to be left on his own with Brian again.

"I'm sorry Jack, I've got paperwork to catch up on. I'll see you tomorrow." Sandra called from her desk.

Gerry glanced over at Sandra, "I better stay here Jack, I've got to rearrange the meeting we missed today. Maybe later though."

"Suit yourself, night guys."

"Night" Gerry and Sandra called simultaneously from their desks.

A few minutes passed while Gerry was on the phone before he got up and walked over to Sandra's office. "Gov"

"Yes Gerry"

"She says we can go round tomorrow, about 10ish. That alright with you?"

"Yeah that's fine. Cheers Gerry."

They shared a smile before Gerry walked back out toward his desk. He was still unclear as to what earlier now meant for them. Was it just a one off? "God I hope not" he thought to himself.

"Gerry" Sandra called back from her office before he had a chance to sit down. She hadn't heard him had she he thought? He walked back over to her, and leant against her door.

"Thank you for today" Sandra smiled as she looked up at Gerry.

"What you on about Gov?"

"You know, for today, for this afternoon."

"Well, what can I say, it was my pleasure" he accompanied this comment with a cheeky wink. There would have been a time when this would have definitely deserved a mouthful from Sandra, but not today. Instead, she got out of her chair and walked over to Gerry. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

"You know I...um" Sandra was struggling with the enormity of what she was about to say. Gerry looked down at her inquisitively. He couldn't read her facial expression, all he could see was her golden blonde hair. He rested his chin on her head and hugged her tightly. These actions seemed to make it a lot easier for Sandra.

"I love you Gerry."

Gerry couldn't help but smile into her hair. He felt like a teenager all over again.

"I love you too" he mumbled into her hair. "I always have."

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**The end**

_**Hope you have all enjoyed this!**_


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